The Polio Plus Subcommittee Chair is responsible for working to assist district Rotarians and clubs to (1) raise awareness about the global effort to eradicate polio, (2) advocate with governmental entities and other private organizations to assist in this effort, and (3) raise funds to support the End Polio Now campaign.

Thus far, through the efforts of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, spearheaded by Rotary International, over 2.5 billion children have been immunized against polio. The incidents of endemic polio have dropped from 125 countries to only two - Afghanistan and Pakistan. Rotarians to date have contributed $1.5 billion to support this effort. Beginning in 2007, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged $100 million to match Rotary contributions and in 2009 increased this to $355 million. Rotary promised to raise $200 million by June 30, 2012 and ended up raising $228 million. The Gates Foundation has now pledged up to $35 million per year through 2018 to match Rotary contributions, two to one. So, for every dollar you donate, $3 goes to fight polio.

Check out this new video about the efforts to end the disease in Pakistan, one of the two last countries in the world with endemic polio. Click on the links on the left hand side of this page.to other polio-related sites.